StoSoutdoors

           

   Planning to hike in very popular areas? Be prepared for crowds. Leave early, or better yet, plan your trip for weekdays.

  If you need a quick antiseptic dressing for small cuts, look for a balsam fir tree. The younger trees have "blisters" on their trunks. Pop one of these blisters and you can use the sap inside to cover the cut. It will even smell good, and can be easily re-applied if you are hiking in an area with these trees.

  For a small wash basin for doing dishes in camp, use the bottom of a plastic milk jug. Cut it off at about three inches deep and it will weigh about an ounce or two.

  There are, of course many other items that could be added to you outdoor first aid kit. Some people carry snake bite kits, although these have been somewhat discredited as to their usefulness. Outdoor guides will often bring simple splints in case of broken bones. A two-ounce emergency blanket for wrapping victims of shock or hypothermia in might be useful.

  I combine my survival items with my first aid kit. The whole package is in a zippered pouch and weighs about four ounces. This may be a bit light, and a bit deficient by some standards, but it has worked well for me for decades now.